Keeping it in the family. Rory's chrome Rochet

We like to keep bikes in the family here at Via. You may recognize this one, maybe. This bike used to belong to our esteemed colleague and good friend Joel. He moved to the west coast not too long ago and sold his chrome Rochet to our colleague Rory, who does a great job working at the front end of the shop doing sales and repair diagnosis. Joel took some bits and bobs off the bike leaving Rory with a relatively blank canvas to build upon.

It is currently set up as a three speed with Sturmey Archer alloy shell AW hub (recently overhauled of course), Campy record high flange front road hub converted to bolt on version for security reasons, and Sugino cranks with chain ring . Velocity Aerohead rims are nice and durable for city riding. The bike retains the Honjo Le Paon fenders, Velo Orange porteur front rack, Velo Orange porteur bars, and Tektro inverse levers. A new Brooks B-17 saddle rounds out the build. The overall impression is a really well put together city bike capable of most any day to day task executed with style.

Frexel inverse Brake levers

I love city bikes. I don't understand people that ride bikes in the city without fenders and chainguards, and dare I say. . . upright riding position!!

The search for brake levers for the upright riding position leaves the rider looking either at current stock(modern plastic/aluminum Mtn. bike levers) or older brake levers. Most brake levers found on upright bikes were plain Weinmann or Dia Compe alloy brake levers that haven't changed much since the 1960s. They are nice and look at home on any classic bike, but I wanted something a little different. So I started looking at weird French brake levers.

I first had a set of these cool slim-lined aluminum brake levers. They looked great and also had a great feel. But I wanted something even cooler, weirder looking. My friend Fred had purchased a french Porteur bike from us a couple years ago, and it had Mafac inverse brake levers. I loved the look, but inverse brake levers were very hard to find. So went to the only place that would have them, Ebay. I bought various sets of them-CLB, no name, and finally set my eyes on a beautiful set of Frexel ones. They are sculpted, and highly polished, and a nice final touch- they are super lightweight. I have yet to install them on a bike, because I have no bicycle worthy of them yet. I am hoping that the same fortunate circumstances happen with the brake levers as what happened when I bought a Jack Taylor stem, I was given a Jack Taylor Super Tourist, missing a stem. So I am waiting on my Rene Herse Porteur bike, missing brake levers ;)

On my current city bike, a 1960s french Rochet road frame set up with Honjo fenders and Velo-Orange Porteur rack, I installed Tektro inverse brake levers. They are very nice and have a spring return. As nice as they feel, they have nothing on Frexel.